Northwestern Argentina Bicycle Tour, Day:
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Side Trip: Peru Bucket List Adventures
Argentina: Day 5
Pictures and Stories about Bicycle Adventures
Argentina Bicycle Tour of
Northwest Provinces
September, 2016
Our Day's Destination is Salinas Grande (Famous Salt Flats)
But to get there we have to go over Cuesta de Lipan (4170m/13,681')
Above Left: The Bee slept well for the night.
Above Right: Breakfast.
Above Left: Traditional roof in the breakfast room, bamboo slats covered with adobe mud.
Above Right: A Hornero Bird Nest was observed outside the breakfast room. I was too slow to catch a photo of the bird going in and out of the nest.
Horneros are brown birds with rather short tails and fairly long bills. They are known for building mud nests that resemble old wood-fired ovens (the Spanish word "hornero" comes from horno, meaning "oven"). These nests have a unique chambered construction. - Wikipedia
Above Left: We're ready for the morning ride, photo by Federico.
Above Right: Heading west out of Purmamarca on Ruta 52.
Above Left: Heading west out of Purmamarca on Ruta 52, elevation at 2449m (8034').
Above Right: Adobe structures on a roadside farm.
Above Left: Adobe structure on a roadside farm.
Above Right: Terry meets a friendly farm dog. Terry is adjusting her pant legs for ventilation, she is warm from work but it is cool outside at this altitude in the morning.
Above Left: A nice little farm, next to a dry river sash, with a 12m x 15m vineyard (that makes a lot of wine).
Above Right: Patacal.
Above Left: A few river Valley farms and homesteads.
Above Right: Some Yellow-Green.
Above: A nice mural on a Primary School, managed by Dr Vargas. Nearly as I can tell, every school in the South Americas lists their Principal - We think that is wonderful.
Above Left: We're looking at four beautiful green birds on the brim; they are parakeet sized and flew away almost as soon as the picture was taken.
Above Right: Pasacana Cactus.
Above Left: A road lined with monuments.
Above Right: Washington Monument.
Yes, Photo Shopped Windows.
Above Left: Comunidad Aborigen, Huachichocana 8 km.
Above Right: Two adventurous young men (who waved and honked at us) are heading up the turn-off for Huachichocana. So far, we were the only people on Ruta 52!
Above Left: My favorite stoker gives some scale to the Pasacana Cactus.
Above Right: High altitude farms; we will only see one more farm.
Above Left: We were working a little bit.
Above Right: Ruta Número 52, 17 k distance marker.
Above Left: Our destination, Salinas Grandes is now only 47 k ahead.
Above Right: This was the highest altitude farm structure that we remember seeing in this area.
Above: Our first switch-backs.
Above: Our interim switch-backs on our way up to Cuesta de Lipan.
Above Left: Roca Monument [Humor]. Not much is growing up here.
Above Right: We are just short of the crest and Cuesta de Lipan is just ahead. A tourist bus just drove up and every person wants to have their picture taken at the Pass sign.
Cuesta de Lipan (4170m/13,681')
Jujuy Province, Argentina
Above: Dennis and Terry Struck with the Bee at Cuesta de Lipan (4170m/13,681'), R 52, Jujuy Province, Argentina.
Above Left: Salinas (Salt Flats) as seen from 4000m elevation.
Above Right: The road down, we went quickly.
Above: Our last view of the salt flats for a while.
Above: Colorado (red rock).
Above: A broad Valley view (corners touched up with Paint).
Above Left: Green Rock.
Above Right: Yellow Rock.
Above Left: El Colorado (more Red Rock).
Above Right: The temperature is starting to warm up, salinas ahead.
Above Left: Saladillo, ...
Above Right: ... a small town with a church and a restaurant.
Vicuñas
(Wild Lamas)
Above Left: Grand Salt Flats / Salinas Grandes.
Above Right: When you see them - Some people never get to see Vicuñas; we saw Five Herds.
Above: Vicuñas.
Above Left: Vicuñas.
Above Right: Salinas Grandes.
Above Left: Vicuñas.
Above Right: Vicuña.
Above Left: Grand Salt Flats / Salinas Grandes, Jujuy Province.
Above Right: More Vicuñas.
Above Left: Salinas Grandes, Jujuy Province.
Above Right: Terry and the Bee meet a big Salt Lama at Salinas Grandes, Jujuy Province, Argentina.
Above Left: Dennis and the Bee with a big Salt Lama at Salinas Grandes, Jujuy Province, Argentina.
Above Right: Terry and Dennis Struck and the Bee with a big Salt Lama at Salinas Grandes, Jujuy Province, Argentina. The Argentine Flag and the Inca Flag stand above.
Above: Terry Struck and the Bee with City Name, Distance, and Direction Signs at Salinas Grandes.
Above Left: Standing in front of a salt removed pool. The presence of water demonstrates a high water table level.
Above Right: Walking toward the undisturbed raw salt flat area (away from tourists).
Above Left: Salt was dug out, both for commercial use as well as for tourist education. The water table is very high and the big surprise is the temperature of the water, it is just a little above freezing (42F/5C).
Above Right: Terry Struck and the Bee on the raw Salt Flat.
Above: Dennis and Terry Struck and the Bee standing in the Salinas Grande (Salt Flats).
Above Left: Kid playing next to a salt pile.
Above Right: Bundles of Salt, ready for shipping (this is a commercial mining area).
Above Left: Terry sits at a Religious Shrine made of Salt. Interestingly, the bags, full of Salt, are labeled 'Azucar' (Sugar).
Above Right: The Building is made of salt (except for the roof). Following, are pictures of the salt construction blocks.
Above: Salt construction blocks of the preceding building.
Inca Art Images carved in Salt Blocks (Left to Right):
Condor
Rhea
Frog
Butterfly
Sun
Above: Salt wares for sale.
Above Left: A soon to be picnic area.
Above Right: A Salt Saint (or Jesus, no details).
Evening Return to Purmamarca
(A Ride from Federico)
Above: Terry demonstrates the concentration of salt on her leg resulting from her leg dip into the salt pool.
Above Left: We found a place to eat, it is 6pm and restaurants will open at 8pm.
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